Advocate file photo by HILARY SCHEINUK -- Anusha Zaman, photographed in her home in September. Zaman is an animal activist and particularly concerning the poor treatment of orca whales. Here, she holds up drawings of orcas in both captive, left, and wild habitats.

Advocate staff photo by HILARY SCHEINUK -- Drawing of a Ringed Kingfisher by Anusha Zaman, photographed in her home, Saturday. Zaman is an animal activist and particularly concerning the poor treatment of orca whales.

Advocate staff photo by HILARY SCHEINUK -- Drawing of the scale used, left, by Zaman and the materials for her artwork of orcas to be used in both their captive and wild habitats by Anusha Zaman, photographed in her home, Saturday.

Advocate staff photo by HILARY SCHEINUK -- Drawings of orcas in both captive, left, and wild habitats by Anusha Zaman, photographed in her home, Saturday. Zaman is an animal activist and particularly concerning the poor treatment of orca whales.

Advocate file photo by HILARY SCHEINUK -- Anusha Zaman, photographed in her home in September, is an animal activist, particularly concerning the poor treament of orca whales. Here, she holds up a drawing of a Ringed Kingfisher, which won in the 'Get to Know Art' contest last year. Zaman had planned to travel to Calgary, Canada, in October for their conference this year. However, she attended another conference instead.

Teen’s work draws attention to cause

Art with a heart

Advocate file photo by HILARY SCHEINUK -- Anusha Zaman, photographed in her home in September. Zaman is an animal activist and particularly concerning the poor treatment of orca whales. Here, she holds up drawings of orcas in both captive, left, and wild habitats.

Advocate staff photo by HILARY SCHEINUK -- Drawing of a Ringed Kingfisher by Anusha Zaman, photographed in her home, Saturday. Zaman is an animal activist and particularly concerning the poor treatment of orca whales.

Advocate staff photo by HILARY SCHEINUK -- Drawing of the scale used, left, by Zaman and the materials for her artwork of orcas to be used in both their captive and wild habitats by Anusha Zaman, photographed in her home, Saturday.

Advocate staff photo by HILARY SCHEINUK -- Drawings of orcas in both captive, left, and wild habitats by Anusha Zaman, photographed in her home, Saturday. Zaman is an animal activist and particularly concerning the poor treatment of orca whales.

Advocate file photo by HILARY SCHEINUK -- Anusha Zaman, photographed in her home in September, is an animal activist, particularly concerning the poor treament of orca whales. Here, she holds up a drawing of a Ringed Kingfisher, which won in the 'Get to Know Art' contest last year. Zaman had planned to travel to Calgary, Canada, in October for their conference this year. However, she attended another conference instead.

“Humankind’s need for entertainment is affecting nature,” said Anusha. “We are taking animals out of their habitat for our own entertainment. It’s all pretty selfish.”

Born in Sapporo, Japan, Anusha said her family moved to Baton Rouge in 2005. She grew up loving the outdoors, nature, trees and insects. While attending Glasgow Middle, she participated in conservation projects that helped her focus on ways to save the state’s wetlands.

Last year, Anusha was selected as the state winner in the Unconference Get to Know Art Contest for her depiction of a Ringed Kingfisher. She said she studied and became fascinated with the bird, which at one time was nearly endangered before the 1960s.

Thanks to last year’s win, she was invited to create an art piece that she hopes will woo the judges at the Unconference and draw attention to orca whales, she said.

The Get to Know Program organization was founded in 1999 by naturalist and painter Robert Bateman and current director Mary Krupa-Clark in Kelowna, British Columbia, with the dream that children would have opportunities to get to know the names of their wild neighbors, the group’s website said.

The group’s conference is designed to promote environmental education “in order to raise a generation of citizens who are inherently aware of their impact on the environment and how their positive interaction with their local wildlife can help preserve our natural wonders for generations to come,” the website said.

Anusha’s interest in whales was heightened after she watched the 2013 documentary, “Blackfish,” a film highlighting captive killer whales at SeaWorld and deaths and attacks on trainers and individuals by captive orca whales.

In its seaworldcares.com website, the organization lashed back at “Blackfish,” calling its portrayal of SeaWorld in the documentary as “propaganda” non-objective, misleading and manipulative.

Anusha said she believes wild animals should be free and not forced to live in cages and tanks.

“A normal habitat for a whale is 42 to 50 times bigger than the (whale) tanks. They are just trained to perform tricks. They are not happy,” Anusha said.

Anusha is not alone in her argument, organizations such as the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, are against whale captivity, arguing that small tank sizes are stressful and confining to the whales.

Last year, SeaWorld announced plans to enlarge whale tanks at several of its parks. SeaWorld has launched rebranding campaigns and replaced its CEO.

Anusha is optimistic that people are beginning to lose interest in and turn away from parks that display animals in captivity, she said.

“A lot of it is really selfish, and it is not going to help the humans or the wild animals,” she said.

Anusha’s participation in the Unconference will include showcasing her orca whale art, workshop sessions on photography, painting, volunteering and community involvement.